Computing-scale.



No. 65|,8D3. Patented June [2, I900.

H. C. HERB.

COMPUTING SCALE.

(Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets8heet I.

Witnesses. -|nve r 1tor.

g By Attorney.

w: NORRIS PEYERS c0, PHo'mu'nga. wAsnmc-mu, a. c.

Ncr. 65I,803. Patented lune l2, I900.

H. c. HERB.

COMPUTING SCALE.

' (Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Witnesses" v I lnventdr.

y n By I Attorney.

N0. 65l,803. Patented June l2, I900.

H. c. HERB. COMPUTING SCALE.

Application filed Nov. 20, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheefs-$haet 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. I'IERR, OF PORT HURON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO THE HURON MACHINE VORKS, OF SAME PLACE.

COMPUTING-SCALE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No..651,803, dated June 12, 1900.

Application filed November 20, 1899. Serial No. 737,545. (No model.)

To all whom, it rim/y concern.-

Be itknown that I, HENRY O. HERR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Port Huron, in the county of St. Clair and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Computing-Scales, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of scales known as the beam or balanced scales;

IO and the object of the invention is to provide scales of that character with simple, easilyoperated, and comparativelycheap price-computing mechanism, all of which will be fully and clearly hereinafter described and claimed,

:5 reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the scale complete. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the scale complete, with the-top portion removed at line a a, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents an enlarged top plan view of the case carrying the computing mechanism, with a portion of the top removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section on or about line b b, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrow V. Fig. 6

is a vertical longitudinal section on or about line b b, Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrow W. Fig. 7 is an enlarged face view of one of the price-indicating bars, showing the construction of the same. Fig. 8 is avertical cross-section on or about line 0 c, Fig. 4. Fig. 9 shows one of the weights used to increase the weighing capacity of the scales. 5.Fig. 10 is a side view of the sliding weight. Fig. 11 is a vertical section of the sliding weight on or about line at d, Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is an end view of one of the price-indicating bars. Fig. 13 is an enlarged detached view 0 of one of the horizontal rods supporting the price-indicating bars, also showing a section through a portion of the casing and one of the bars and the spring and washer for maintaining the bars in close proximity. Fig. 14

5 is an enlarged detached view of one of the operating-shafts and the irattendant parts, also showing sections through parts of the casing.

In referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, in which a preferred construction of my invention is illustrated, like numerals designate like parts.

I have shown my invention connected to a common type of beam-scales, in which 1 designates the base, which is provided with a hollow vertical standard 2, and two arms 3, provided at their upper ends with circular openings 4, extend from the top of the stand ard. V-shaped pins 5 are rigidly secured to the outer side of an oblong frame 6, which extend into the openings 4 in the armsof the standard. Each side of the frame 6 is pro vided with a circular opening 7, and a weighing-platform 8 is supported from said frame by the V-shaped pins 9. The weighing-platform has the usual rod attached to its under side, which extends downward through the hollow standard and is connected to the base by the usual link. I

The frame 6 is provided with two oppositelyextending arms 10, and two bars 11, extending at substantially right angles, are fastened to the outer ends of said arms 10 by the screws 12. A weighing-beam 13 is attached to the opposite end of said bars 11 by the screws 14L and in the preferred construction illustrated is provided with a scale ranging from naught to ten pounds. A sliding weight 15 is mounted upon the beam 13. (See Figs. 1, 2, 3,10, and 11.)

The case or box 16, in which the computing mechanism is carried, is preferably detachably secured to the; base of the scales and by means of the screws 17, which screw into an arm 17, extending horizontally from the base. The case is preferably rectangular in formation and is arranged beneath the weighing-beam, with its sides and top parallel with it when the scales are balanced and at such a distance from the weighing-beam that the 0 sliding weight will not strike against it when the weighing-beam swings onits pivot or fulcrum during the operation of weighing.

The price-computing mechanism comprises a plurality of price-computing bars, which are 5 normally within the inclosing case, and a like plurality of keys or other operating devices arranged upon the exterior of the case, each key being marked with a different price-perpound character and being connected to the transversely across the top edge.

bar having the corresponding scale-of-price characters. Each of these bars 18 is formed as shown in Fig.7, having a price-computing scale 19, which corresponds exactly in length with the weighing scale on the Weighingbea1n upon its top edge, two diagonally-extending openings 20, and a portion 21, extending downward from its lower edge and having a small opening 22. All of the bars 18 are provided with the graduated price-computing scales, which correspond to the price they represent, each representing a different price valuation and all being of equal length and in exactly the same position on the bars, and the bars are arranged in the inclosing case in consecutive order, as shown in Fig. 4, with the beginning and ending of their scales exactly in alinement with lines extending This necessitates all of the bars 18 being exact duplicates of each other, with the exception of the characters designating the spaces in the scales and the downwardlyextending portions 21, each of which is placed at a different point on its bar to provide room for connecting each operating-key to its corresponding bar without interfering with the remaining bars, as will be more specifically explained farther on.

The bars 18 are supported in the case by horizontal rods 23, which are mounted in the inclosing case and pass through the diagonally-extending openings 20 in all the bars, two rods being preferably employed and two openings being placed in each bar to corre spond to the position of the rods.

The bars 18 are held against and in close proximity with each other and with the outer bar against the interior of the side of the case by the coil-springs 24, encircling the rods 23, and the washers 25 at the ends of the spring, which press against the innermost bar. In arranging the bars in the inclosing case they are placed with the bar having the scale denoting the highest price next to the side wall of the casing, the one denoting the next highest price against the first, and so on until they have all been assembled in consecutive order in the casing.

A plurality of shafts 26 are journaled in the casing, which correspond in number to the bars 18, and they are preferably arranged so that they extend horizontally and transversely with respect to the casing and are placed at equal intervals and on the same plane. The shafts 26 are each provided with cam-arms 27, and the portions 21 of the bars are so arranged and the cam-arms 27 are so located that each cam-arm 27 is directly below the downwardly-extending portions 21 of the bar it is to operate. A coil-spring 27 is mountedon each shaft 26 and acts to partially turn or rotate said shaft in one direction, thereby serving to maintain the cam-arm 27in contact with the portion 21. These springs 27 are not as strong as the spring 82, so that when a bar in operative position is released the spring.

32 carries it back to its normally-inoperative position and also by the pressure of the downwardly-extending portion 21 against the camarm 27 partially turns or rotates the shaft 26, and thus automatically rewinds the spring 27 to its original tension.

The upper portion of the casing is cut away on one side to form a reduced portion 28, and a plurality of operating buttons or keys 29, corresponding in number to the bars, are mounted upon vertical rods 30, which extend through the top of the reduced portion 28 at equal intervals. The lower end of each of these rods 30 is pivoted to a crank-arm 31, which is rigidly secured to and extends from one of the shafts 26. The buttons are each marked with a different priceper-pound character, and each shaft 26, with its crankarm and cam, forms a connecting mechanism for independently connecting one of the keys or buttons to the bar provided with the priceindicating scale corresponding to the priceindicating character upon the key. Each bar is maintained in its inoperative position with a spring force by means of the coilspring 32, which is connected at its upper end to the downwardly-extending portion 21 and at its lower end to the bottom of the casing.

At one end of the casing a shaft 33 is journaled,and aplate 34is rigidly mounted on said shaft and forms a latching device for maintaining the bars in their elevated position when raised, the plate being sufficiently wide to extend beneath the end of any of the bars when raised. This plate-bar has but a limited range of movement toward or from the end of the casing and is normally maintained in latchingposition by the spring 35,which forces it out from the casing end against the stoprod 36, which limits its outward movement. It will thus be seen that when one of the keys is pressed down the corresponding price-indicating bar to which it is connected is raised or lifted into view and is held in said raised position by the latching device 34, turning on its shaft under tension of the spring 35 beneath the end of said bar, substantially as shown in Fig. 5.

The sliding weight 15 is' provided with a recess or groove 37 in its bottom end for the purpose of affording a free passage for the price-indicating bars when they are thrown up for use and an upper opening 38.

The top 39 of the bearing that rests on the weighing-beam is cut slightly V-shaped (see Fig. 11) for the purpose of giving it a pointbearing, so that it can swing and always remain in a vertical position even if the weighing-beam is inclined, which is necessary owing to the fact that this weight must indicate the actual weight as well as the amount in cents.

The operation of the device is as follows: Balancing the scales with the weight in the position as shown in Fig. 1, you place the article it is desired to weigh and ascertain the price IIO of on the platform and slide the weight on\ the beam until the scales balance. Then press the button indicating the price-per-pound valuation of the article, which is the adaptation illustrated in Fig. 1, in the first one indicating a valuation of five cents per pound. Pressing this button rotates the shaft 26 by means of the vertical rod 30 and the crankarm 29, and this in turn rotates the cam-arm 27, which acts on thelower projecting portion of the price-indicating barhavinga scale denoting a corresponding price-per-pound valuation and forces said bar up and in a diagonal direction or in a direction substantially parallel with the inclined openings 20. The bar in its upward movement presses the plate 34: out of the way until it reaches its highest position,when the lower edge of the bar passes above the upper end of the plate, and the plate, under tension of the spring 35, turns outwardly and beneath the bar, thus preventing the bar from returning to its former position, and the springs 27 on the shafts 26 hold the cam 27 in contact with the downwardly-projecting portion 21 and prevent the key from returning to its normal position until the bar is released. When the second bar is thrown up, it presses the plate 34 out of the way, thereby releasing the first bar, which is drawn to its original inoperative position by the coil-sprin g 32, the plate reacting and passing under the second bar, as before, to maintain said second bar in its elevated position.

By referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the beginning of the scale on the price-indicating bar when arranged in operative position is directly under the beginning of the scale on the weighing-beam, so that as soon as you move the weight to the right to indicate any weight you will also simultaneously indicate a proportionate amount on the priceindicating bar. The weighing and computin g bars are thus read exactly alike and at one glance of the eye by following the weight, one denoting pounds and ounces and the other indicating cents.

The weighing-beam shown in the drawings will weigh ten pounds, and the price-bars will correspondingly compute ten pounds. So if you desire to weigh a larger amount then place the weight at (shown in Fig. 9) on the weight 42, suspended on the rod 40, which is attached to the end of the frame bar. This will increase the capacity of the scales ten pounds, and the weighing-beam will now indicate any amount from ten pounds to twenty pounds. The price of an article weighing over ten pounds can be easily obtained by adding to the amount indicated on the bar the price per pound indicated by the bar multiplied by ten.

One of the principal advantages of my invention is that the principal and heavier portion of the computing attachment is mounted upon or supported from the base and is not hung from the weighing-beam or supported by the weighing mechanism,the pricebeingindicated by the weight on the beam,which acts in conjunction with the portion mounted on the base. By this means the Weighing mechanism does not carry any of the computing mechanism except the weight, which in any scale of this class is an absolute necessity and is as light and sensitive as a scale unprovided with computing mechanism and operates as quickly and as accurately.

It is obvious that changes in the form and proportion of parts in the details of construction of the device herein shown and described as the preferred embodiment of my invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without departing from the principle or sacrificing any advantages of my invention, and I there fore reserve the right to make such modifications and alterations as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention 1. In a scale, the combination of a weighing-beam and a balancing-weight on said beam having an upper opening through which the weighing-beam passes and a lower depression, of price-computing mechanism comprising a plurality of horizontally-arranged bars, each having a scale denoting a different price per pound, and mechanism for moving any one of said bars into position in the lower depression in the balancing-weight so that both the weight and price are indicated by the position of the balancing-weight.

2. In a scale, the combination of a graduated weighing-beam, a sliding weight on said beam having a vertical depression in its lower portion, a series of horizontally arranged price-computing bars having graduated portions corresponding in length to the gradu ated portions of the beam and key-operated means for raising any one of said bars into price-computing position in the vertical depression of the sliding weight.

3. I11 a scale, the combination of a weighin g-beam, a plurality of normally-inoperative price-indicating bars, each provided with a different price-per-pound scale and adapted to be raised into operative position relatively to the weighing-beam, abalancing-weight on said weighing-beam for indicating the weight on the beam and having its lower portion provided with a vertical depression arranged to receive the operatively-arranged bar and key mechanism for raising any one of said bars into said depression.

4. In a scale, the combination of a base, a weighing-platform mounted above said base, a weighing-beam having \veight-graduations, a sliding weight mounted on the weighingbeam, a casing mounted on the base and having a top opening, a plurality of horizontal price-indicating bars arranged in normallyinoperative position in said casing, each havinga graduated price-indicating portion corresponding in length to the graduated weightindicating portion of the base, and each denoting a different price per pound and means wherebyany one of said bars may be moved vertically through the top opening in the casing into proximity to the sliding weight, so that both the weight and price of an article on the platform will be indicated by the position of the sliding Weight.

5. In a scale, the combination of a base, a weighing-platform mounted upon said base, a weighing-beam having weight-graduations, atsliding weight mounted on the weighingbeam and having a depression in its lower portion, a casing mounted on the base, a plurality of price-indicating bars in said casing and each havinga graduated price-indicating portion corresponding in length to the graduated weightdndicating portion of the beam and each denoting a different price per pound, and operating-keys operatively connected to said price-indicating bars for moving any one of said bars into operative position in the depression in the sliding weight, so that the weight and price of an article on the platform will be indicated by the position of the sliding weight.

6. In a scale, the combination with the base thereof, and the weighing mechanism having a sliding weight provided with a bottom depression, of mechanism mounted on the base and unsupported from and out of contact with said weighing mechanism and including a plurality of price-indicating bars any one of which is adapted to be moved vertically upward into the bottom depression in the sliding weight, so that the said weight will denote both price and weight.

7. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a supporting-casing, a plurality of horizontally-arranged bars, each provided with price-indieating valuations and diagonal slots, rods passing through the slots and the casing, a like plurality of operating-keys and mechanism operatively connecting the keys to the bars.

8. The combination with a weighing-scale, of price-computing mechanism composed of a casing, a plurality of price-indicating bars horizontally arranged and normally supported in an inoperative position within said casing, a like plurality of keys operatively connected to said bars and adapted to raise the bars above the casing, and a springtensioned arm for locking said bars in a raised position.

9. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computing bars, each having diagonal openings and a price-indicating scale, rods passing through the slots, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the bars and a crankarm, and a like plurality of operating-keys, each having a standard connected to one of the crank-arms, as set forth.

10. In a Weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computin g bars, each having a downwardly-extending portion, di-

agonal openings and a price-indicating scale, rods passing through the slots, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the downwardly-extending portions of the bars, and a crank-arm, and a like plurality of operating-keys, each having a standard connected to one of the crank-arms, as set forth.

11. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computing bars, each having a downwardly-extending portion, diagonal openings and a price-indicating scale, rods passing through the slots, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the downwardly-extending portions of the bars, and a crank-arm, a like plurality of operating-keys, each having a standard connected to one of the crankarms, and a locking device comprisinga supplementary shaft arranged in close proximity to one end of the casing, an arm mounted on said shaft, a spring for pressing said arm from the casing and a stop for limiting the outward movement of said arm, as set forth.

12. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computing bars, each having a downwardly-extending portion, diagonal openings and a price-indicating scale, rods passing through the slots, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the downwardly-extending portions of the bars, and a crank-arm, a like plurality of operating-keys, each having a standard connected to one of the crankarms, and a locking device adapted to move beneath a bar when raised into operative position and to be moved therefrom to release said first bar upon the movement of a second bar into operative position.

13. The combination with a weighing-scale, of a plurality of price-indicating devices having an upward and forward movement in a diagonal direction; and each denoting a different price per pound and all but one arranged in an inoperative position, and means for raising any one of said devices; the upward movement bringing the device into operative price-indicating position, and the forward movement releasing the previous operatively-arranged device.

14. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a plurality of price-indicating bars, having elongated openings, rods passed through the casing sides and the openings, springs arranged on said rods for maintaining said bars in close proximity to each other, and means for elevating any one of said bars into operative position.

15. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a plurality of price-indicating bars, having elongated openings, rods passed through the easing sides and the openings, coil-springs arranged on said rods, washers mounted on one end of said springs for maintaining said bars in close proximity to each other, and means for elevating any one of said bars into operative position.

16. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casin g,a plurality of price-indicatin g bars mounted in said casing and adapted to have a limited range of up-and-down movementin a diagonal direction, a shaft at one end of the casing, an arm on said shaft and a spring pressing the arm away from the casing; the arm being adapted to be moved toward the casing by the upward movement of one of the bars and to pass beneath the end of said bar at the limit of its upward movement to maintain it in its elevated position.

17. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computing bars, each having a downwardly-extending portion, diagonal openings and a price-indicating scale, rods passing through the slots, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the downwardly-extending portions of the bars, a spring for partially rotating the shaft in one direction, and a crank-arm, and a like plurality of operatingkeys.

18. In a weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computing bars, each having adownwardly-extending portion and a price-indicating scale, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the downwardly-extending portions of the bars, and a crank-arm, a like plurality of operating-keys, each having a standard connected to one of the crank-arms, and a spring on each shaft for maintaining the cam device in contact with the downwardly-extending portion of the bar, as set forth.

19. In a Weighing-scale having price-computing mechanism, the combination of a casing, a plurality of price-computing bars, each having a price-indicating scale, a like plurality of shafts, each having a cam device arranged beneath one of the bars, a like plurality of operating-keys, each having operative connection with one of the shafts, and a spring on each shaft for maintaining the cam device against the opposed bar with a spring tension.

20. In a scale, the combination of a weighing-beam, a plurality of normally-inoperative bars, each provided with a different priceper-pound scale arranged beneath the Weighing-beam and adapted to be raised into operative position relatively to the weighingbeam, a balancing-weight on said beam for indicating the weight on the beam and having its lower portion provided with a vertical depression arranged to receive the operativelyarranged bar-and-key mechanism for raising any one of said bars into said depression.

HENRY O. I-IERR. Witnesses:

W. L. J ENKS, T. R. SoHEEL. 

